Beet-harvesting machine.



J. STONE.

BEET HARVESTING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED APR.17, 1913.

1, 1 1 3,505. Patented Oct. 13, 1914.

3 SHEETSSHEET 1.

THE NORRIS PETERS Co.. PHOTOVLITHOH WASHINGTON. 13v 1;.

J. STONE. I

BERT HARVESTING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED 11.17, 1913.

1, 1 1 3,505. Patented Oct. 13, 1914.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

INVENTOR, I

WITNESSES -..l. Eltona- A TTORNEY i 7H5 NORRH: F'EYERS (11. PHOTO-LITHO.. WASHINGTON. 1

J. STONE.

BEET HARVESTING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED APRJV, 1913.

1, 1 1 3,505. Patented Oct. 13, 1914.

3 SHEETSSHEET 3.

PIg-EI- WITNESSES INKENTOR v JEtune.

A TTOBNEY THE NORRIS PETERS CO.FHOTO-LITHQ.WASHING1DN, D. C.

, rom. srarns PATENT onru on JOI-IN STONE, OF PAMPA, TEXAS.

IBEET-HARVESTING- MACHINE.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, JOHN STONE, a citi zen of the United States, residing at Pampa, in the county of Gray and State of Texas, have invented new and useful Improvements in Beet Harvesting Machines, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to beet harvesting machines, and has for its object to provide a simple and cheap construction in such devices adapted to perform its functions elliciently and with a minimum of friction in the operation of its parts.

It is an aim to provide a beet harvesting, topping and delivering means which will require few operative connections, and which will not need to be made of extremely heavy construction. i

It is an object to obviate the necessity for driving connections between the beet gath-' ering means and traction wheels supporting the machine, but to construct the beet gripping means to at the same time engage the ground for its own operation by direct leverage.

A further object is to provide an eilicient topping mechanism and novel operative connections therefor.

r-i still further object is to provide an improved delivery.

An additional object is to arrange in a simple way for the clearance of the tops when removed.

It is also the purpose to provide an efficient and novelmeans for regulating the operation of the harvesting mechanism and throwing it out of operation at will.

Additional objects and advantages will be apparent, some of which will appear from the following description and from the drawings, in which Figure l is a side view of the machine, Fig. 2 is a top view thereof, Fig. 3 is a cross section thereof, Fig. 4 is a detail'of the top ping knives, Fig; 5, is a detail of one of the spring yokes.

There is illustrated a harvester comprising a wheeled frame 10 the forward wheels 11 of which are much smaller than the rear ones 12, the frame being triangular in plan, and its forward end being mounted very low and the wheels 11 thereat being spaced closely together so that the forward end may be run closely under the body of a wagon, so that the machine may be pulled behind the wagon and the wagon loaded thereby.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed April 17, 1913.

Serial No. 761,811.

trolled by any suitable form of steering mechanism 13 operated from the rear end of the machine, sotliat it may be maintained in proper position over the rows of beets to be harvested.

Patented Oct. 13, 1914.

Pivoted on a large transverse shaft 14: I

located a distance from the forward end of the frame 10 there is a superstructure 15 consisting as shown of two triangular frames principally, although any other suitable construction may be used. Carried by this superstructure there is a pair of parallel vertically disposed annular metal bands or plates 16 attached to the superstructure by suitable rods extending centrally from the outer sides of the plates at proper distances. A short distance forwardly of the upper most parts of these plates the opposed edges of each pair are inclined outwardly from each other as at 17, the plates being narrowed for that purpose, and at 18 on the lower sides the edges are inclined inwardly to continue parallel to the point of outward inclination mentioned.

A multiplicity of U-shaped spring yokes 19 having grooved rollers 20 mounted on each arm in registry with each other and on axes parallel to thearms, are arranged with their arms on ooposite sides of respective plates 16, the edges of the plates being received in the grooves of the rollers.

The

bights 21 of the yokes are disposed inwardly or the plates, and all of plate 16 are connected by a respective annular rack member 22, concentric to the plate, the teeth thereof being presented inwardly. The-segment arms of the yokes on the two plates 16 are provided with cooperating aws 23 at their extremities, projected laterally from the arms a suiiicient distance to coengage tightly against opposite sides of the body of a beet when the yokes are on the wide parts of the plates. The opposite or outer arms 24 of the yokes are longer, and their extremities are adapted for engagement with the ground when they are at the lower limit of their orbits and the superstructure is lowered, as will be described.

The jaws 23 may be extended so that the adjacent jaws of the yokes on the same ring tne yokes on each will nearly or quite abut and form a continuous annular series.

Carried by the superstructure there is a transverse revoluble shaft having two gears 26 of like size meshed with respective racks whereby these are held with their yokes in alinement for proper cooperation of the jaws 23. This shaft may be utilized to operate the conveyor 28 extending upwardly and forwardly from between the front jaws 25, and adapted to receive the beets released from between the jaws, for conveyance to the body of a wagon 29 to which the harvester is attached. It is of course possible to arrange this conveyor to discharge at the side of the harvester if considered more desirable. The conveyer is operated by achain 31 extended from a sprocket on the shaft to a similar sprocket 33 on an intermediate shaft 38 of the conveyer. This conveyor is of usual construction for such work and is supported by the superstructure 1.3 at 3%.

The topping mechanism in the present embodiment of the invention comprises two vertical standards 35 disposed in the space between the yokes of each pair, and supported by a suitable framing 86 extended from the superstructure 15 through the racks 22, and carrying at their upper ends overlapped cutting knives 39 disposed close to the jaws 23 passing thereover, the intersection of the edges of the knives being intermediate of the jaws The superstructure 15 is raised and lowered at its rear end by means of a lever tO, pivoted on the fr-c me 10, and moving adjacent a fixed apertured segment ll, so that a pin 42 may be coengaged through registered openings of the segment and lever. The lever forwardly of its pivot is bifurcated and each forward end portion is formed with a curved slot- 43 in which is received a shaft 44: fixed in the rear part of the superstructure 15. A seat to is provided for the operator, conveniently to the hand wheel to controlling the steering mechanism and the levers a0.

The draft connections with the wagon are preferably of such a nature that the harvester may be steered independently thereof to a certain extent to maintain it. in such approximate registry with the lines of beets to be harvested that the tops will be properly gripped.

In the present case there is a transverse bar 4:? secured beneath the wagon body to which the yoke a8 is slidably connected. It will be understood however that if desired steering wheels may be provided at the rear instead.

In operation, the harvester being connected to the wagon to be loaded, is drawn along the rowsof beets to be gathered, as nearly as possible with the two rows equally spaced between the wheels, and the levers 4:0 operated to allow the yokes to rest upon the ground on each side of each row. In this wa the jaws are brought into proper position to engage the beet tops, and the outer arms of the yokes engage th earth with sufficient traction to rotate the sets of yokes in their orbits around the plates 1 The cooperation of all the sets of yokes through the meshing of the gears 26 on the shaft 25 with the several racks, makes the operation 1 of all continuous, regardless of slight inequalities in the surface of the earth. The weight of the complete sets of gathering devices being supported mainly upon the ground direct, a large amount of friction is eliminated and the strength required in the supporting frame work largely diminished. The strain on operative connections which would be required to operate the gathering mechanism from a separate traction wheel would be so great that very heavy construction would have to be employed therefor, and a corresponding increase inthe strength of the frame work made, largely increasing the weight and the tractive force required to move the harvester.

in the rotation of the yokes, it will be observed that by the location of the enlargements of the plates 16 the opposed jaws reach a level while separated approximately corresponding to that of the head of the beet, by which is meant the large upper part,

and immediately afterward, and before 7 rising the yokes are moved to the wide portions of the plates 16, whereby their opposed jaws are forced inwardly and against the beets, being held in that position while the jaws continue in their orbits, resulting in the lifting of the beets from the ground whence they are carried to the topping device and a short distance beyond this the narrow portions of the plates are encountered, whereby the yokes are allowed to contract, separating the jaws and releasing the beets which then fall into the conveyer, the jaws passing downwardly on either side thereof.

A trough 49 leads from beneath the topping mechanism, outwardly through the racks to one side of the machine, being inclined downwardly, so that the tops are left in a row, conveniently for removal.

In order to adapt the length and form of I creased by lengthening the arms so that the head 54 will be projected deeply into the the jaws of the yoke, allowing plenty of room for the removal of the tops and the beets separately. What is claimed is: c j

1. A device of the class described comprising a wheeled frame, aliued annular plates carried thereby in parallel relation, a multiplicity of spring yokes each having arms engaged on each side of respective plates and projecting outwardly thereof, adj acent arms of the yokes on the two plates having cooperating gripping jawseach of the plates having cam portions thereon adapted to spread the spring yokes for cooperative gripping engagement with yokes on the other plate for engagement with av beet interposed, through a portion of their movement, the yokes being connected in an nular series, and adapted to travel orbitally on the plates, one arm of each yoke being extended outwardly for tractive engagement with the earth when at the lower part of its orbit, for operating of the device, under forward movement of the frame, a topping and a conveyer device each operatively connected with the yokes, and means tomove the yoke to inoperative position.

2. A device of the class descrlbed comof the frame, an annular internal rack being connected to each series of gripping devices concentric therewith, separate devices for acting upon the beets gripped by the gripping devices, and operative connections between the rack and the said separate devices. j i

3. A device of the class described comprising a wheeled frame, a vertically movable superstructure, means to adjust the superstructure vertically, stationary annular plates carried by the superstructure, in parallel coaxial relation, a series of U-shaped spring yokes on each plate, the yokes havingrollers on each arm receiving the edges of the plates thereagainst, the yokes tending to spring with their arms inwardly, the plates being widened at certain parts of their length to bear opposed arms of the yokes on each plate into coengagement, gripping jaws formed on the coengaging arms, eX- tensions formed on the yokes to engage the earth for orbital movement of the yokes around the plates, when the superstructure is in lowered position, under forward move ment of the frame, and for opening and closing operation of the yokes as described.

a. In a vegetable pulling machine of the class "described, awheeled support, parallel series of vegetable engaging devices mounted thereon for orbital movement and'adapted to coengage upon the body of a beet, parallel guide plates spaced from each other and adapted toengage outwardly of the respective series of engaging devices, said engaging devices being constructed arranged 'and,

adapted. to give a clearance inwardly thereof,

and a topping mechanism moun ed ith the orbits of the engaging devices.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in presence of two subscribing wit- Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents.

Washington, D. G. I 

